Socket for incandescent lamps



(N o Modl.) 2 SheetsSheet 1.

v J. G. TOURNIER.

SOCKET FOR INGAND'ESGENT LAMPS. No 559,232. Patented Apr. 28, 1896.

ANDREW B.GRANANfHUTDi-ITHQWMMIFGTOMHC UNITED STATES PATENT TOFFICE.

ULIUS CH. TOURNIER, OF SCI-IENECTADY NE\V YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF NEV YORK.

SOCKET FOR INCANDESCENT LAMPS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 559,232, dated April 28, 1896.

Application filed March 2 5, 1 8 96.

. ple, cheap, and efficient construction, having.

its parts so arranged as to afiord strengthand compactness and a convenient and practical assemblage of the circuit-controlling device and the contacts forcompleting the circuit, all as hereinafter set'forth and claimed.

Referringto the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is an elevation",-with the inclosing.

shell in vertical section; of an incandescentlamp socket construete'd in accordance with this invention. Fig; 2 is an elevation of the lamp-socket with the inclosing shell removed.

Fig. 3 is a view in perspective of the supporting-block with'the metallic-parts removed.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the supportingblock,

1 circuit 7 controlling key, "and lamp contacts.

cuit-controllingkeyand its connections de- Fig. 5 is aside view of the supporting-block with the spiral sleeve broken away. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the under side of the supportingblock, and Fig. 7 is a detail view of i the cirtached from the block. Fig.8 is avertical section through the base and shell, disclosing certain of the operative parts. Fig.2 is a vertical section of the insulating-base on a I line transverse to Fig. 8, including certain of the operative parts. 1 Fig. 10 is a vertical section of the insulating-base with parts removed Fig. 11 is a plan on the line Ct at of Fig. 11. view of the insulating-base, showing the interiorconstruction thereof and Fig. 12 is a detail view of the insulating-ring shown in Fig. 1.

In the construction of this invention a cylindrical supporting-block 1 is employed, of

suitableinsulating material, and cut away at thebinding-screw 3, connecting with the cir- Quit-controller 4, and the binding-screw 5,

of the block 1, transverse'passage-way or cavity 8, in the Serial No. 584,793. (No model.)

connecting with the elastic metallic arm 6,

mounted in a recess in the supporting-block 1 and projectingcentrally under the bottom The block 1 is formed with a 5 5 bottom of which is located a longitudinal plate 9, Fig. 7, having upturned ends 10 11, in which are openings through whichprojects the metallic rod 12 of the circuit-controlling key 4, the arms 10 and 11 serving as bearings for said shaft 12. The binding-screw. 3 is mounted on an arm 13 of the arm 11, and the arm 10 has a vertical oval slot 14, Fig. 5, in which the outer end of the metallic shaft 12 is 10- 6 5 jcate'd, this being adapted to have free play vertically in its rotarymovement when the keyis operated.

Upon the top of theblock 1 is mounted a threaded shell 15, secured thereto bymeans 7o ofscrews 16,:Fig. 4, which pass through the perforations in a flange 17 of the threaded ,shell115 and through'perforations or holes 16 in the block 1, extending through the latter. The endsof the screw 16 are covered i with suitable insulating material 18, as shown in Fig. 6, to guard against the accidental con- 1 tact therewithof the leading-in Wires when securing the latter in place. 1 One end of the screw-threaded shell 15 is cut away, as at 19,

metallic shaft 12 ofthe circuit-controlling key4 is located, there is formed in the block 1 a cavity or space, in which is located the rotary contact-block 20, loosely mounted on the end of the metallic shaft 12 and so connected thereto as to have lostmotion-as, for exam- 9o ple,.by means of the slot 21, formed on the inner face of the block 20, in which are adapted to play the ends of a pin 22, mounted on the shaft 12, the projecting ends of the pin 22 coming in contact with the ends of the 5 slot 21 of the block 20, so as to give the latter a lost motion in its operation. Upon the metallic base 9, located in the transverse groove Sin the block 1, is mounted a longitudinal spring-arm 23, secured thereto in any suitable IOO manner, and as here shown by cut-away proj ectingportions 24, bent to engage with aper tures 24 in the metallic plate 9. By means of this latter construction the spring may be readily removed and a new spring inserted in its place. The outer end of the spring 23 is located above the rotary block 20 of the circuit-controlling key, and a portion of one end of the screw-threaded shell extends over the block 20, there being a passage between the shell 15 and the block 20, so that when the circuit is open the rotary block is out of contact with the end of the shell 15 and the spring 23 bears against one side of the block 20.

hen the incandescent electric lamp is screwed into the threaded shell or socket 15, one terminal on its base makes contact with the sleeve 15 and the other with the projecting arm 6, the circuit being thus completed through the lamp, except between the shell 15 and the rotary block 20. Connection at this point is made and broken by means of the circuit-controlling key 4 by turning the latter so that the rotary block 20 is snapped with a lost motion into contact with the threaded shell or socket 15.

By means of the construction hereinbefore set forth a compact and eflicient arrangement of the supporting-block,threaded socket, circuit-controlling key, and other metallic parts is provided. The several parts just referred to are inclosed in a suitable casing, as here shown, consisting of a cylindrical shell 25, adapted to be slipped over the block 1 and the threaded socket 15 and having a flanged insulating-ring 26, located between one end of the casing and the threaded shell 15, and the other part of the casing consists of a cap 27, which fits over one end of the shell 25 and is provided with a screw-threaded projection 28 for securing thereto the end of the fixture.

The insulating-ring 26, consisting, preferably, of fibrous material, is elastic and of greater width than such rings heretofore made and projects beyond the outer end of the shell 25. The ring 26 is formed with an exterior bead 29 and is sprung into place between the socket 15 and the shell 25, so that the bead 29 is located in a circular groove 31 on the inner face of the shell 25. The ring 26 is a split ring, as indicated in Fig. 12. To insert the ring 26 in position, as shown in Fig. 1, it is necessary to squeeze the ring, so as to cause the free ends of the ring at the split to overlap each other,and the ring so compressed is slipped into place between the shell 25 and the threaded shell 15, and by its elasticity will spring into place, so as to cause the ends of the split ring 26 to fit closely together, as shown in Fig. 12.

It is obvious that in lieu of the elastic split ring an elastic ring which is not split and is capable of being buckled in and then slipped into place between the shells 15 and 25 may be used.

By means of the foregoing construction the ring 26 is firmly held against slipping out of position and the outer ends of the socket 15 and shell 25 are completely insulated.

I am aware that it is old to construct the outer shell of an incandescent-lamp socket with a groove formed at one end thereof and to employ in connection therewith a split insulating-ring which is sprung into place in Heretofore in the construction of supporting insulating-blocks for incandescent-lamp sockets it has been necessary to weigh the plastic porcelain or other insulating material of which the block is formed, and considerable care and skill have had to be exercised in not only providing the exact amount of plastic insulating material, whichis compressed to the required and proper size, but also in forming the grooves for the screws by means of which the cap 27 is secured to the block, which grooves have been required to be of proper and exact size in order to properly engage the cap with the block. The weighing of the plastic mass and the measurement of the grooves are obviated by simultaneously compressing the plastic mass and forming the grooves 30, as set forth in a separate application.

It will thus be seen that by means of this construction a simple, cheap, and efficient lamp-socket is provided in which contact with the lamp is readily made and a firm union of the socket with the lamp is provided.

That I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In an incandescent-lamp socket, an insulating-block, circuit-terminals, and a circuit-controlling key with a metallic tip and operating-spring mounted thereon,in combination with a metallic socket mounted on the insulating-block, the metallic tip of the controlling-key being adapted to make contact with the shell and close the circuit.

2. In an incandescent-lamp socket, as a new article of manufacture, an insulating-block formed with passages in its edges for the circuit-wires, a transverse passage-way for the insertion of a controlling-circuit key-shaft, its bearings and a controllingspring, a cavity at one end for the location of a rotary metallic tip of the key-shaft, and a cavity at the other end for the location of one of the binding-screws and brackets, a cavity at one side of the block for the location of the other binding-screw and bracket, and a contact-arm, as herein set forth.

3. In an incandescent-lamp socket, an insulating-block formed with a transverse cavity, a rotary circuit-controlling key, and a spring and contact-tip located in this cavity,

Furthermore, it has been found binding-screws located in cavities in the insulating-bloclqone connectedwith the key-- shaft and the other with a metallic contactarm projecting over the top of the block, and

a shell or socket mounted on the top of a block and adapted to complete the circuit with a lamp by contact of the contact-tip therewith.

4. In a socket for, incandescent lamps, the combination with the insulating-base thereof and a key having a contact-tip, of a lampsocket cylindrical shell mounted on one end of" said base, and so arranged in relation to socket and an outer cylindrical shell having a circular groove in its inner face, of an elastic insulating-ring formed With a bead, and located between the inner socket and outer shell, said bead being located in the circular groove in the outer shell.

7. An elastic insulating-ring for incandescent-lamp sockets, formed with an exterior circular bead.

8. An elastic split insulating-ring for 111- candescent-lamp sockets, formed with an exterior circular bead.

9. As a new article of manufacture, an insulating-ring for incandescent-lamp sockets, formed of a sheet of elastic insulating material provided with a circumferential bead, as and for the purpose set forth.

- In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 24th day of March, 1896.

JULIUs 01-1. TOURNIER.

Vitnesses:

B. B. HULL,

GENEVIEVE HAYNES.

m Letters Pateni No.1 55

1 soekets formed of a sheet of elastic ins ulatifig L bea DISCLAIMER.

,23 2 ."--Jul ius C. Tmwnier, Sehenectady,

Petent hated April 28, 1896. 17, 1901, by ihe prese nt ass ighee, The General Elec-Wic Company.

N. Y, IMPRO EMENT. 1N SOCKETS FOR INQANDESCE LAMP Disclaimer filed October 1 Enters its dis elfiineer TO that part of said Letters Patent which is in the follewing words, to Wit;

9. As a new artie1e 0f manufacture, an insulating-ring for incandeseentdamp material provided with a circumferential d, as and fof the pflrposes s et fert1 1.-[QfiieialGazette, Octobef 22, 1.901.] 

